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OpenClaw Architecture

Key Insights

  • Monolithic prompt strategy: Single 187-line AGENTS.md with extensive examples eliminates assembly logic - trades flexibility for zero template bugs
  • Protocol unification problem: Dual-stack (WebSocket + JSONL bridge) creates approval UX issues - remote prompts appear on wrong device
  • Multi-agent coordination via prompts: "Do not switch branches" injected as system rules vs locks - trust-based model requires careful engineering
  • Plugin isolation: Extensions have separate dependency trees, runtime resolves SDK via jiti aliasing - prevents version conflicts without monorepo
  • Gateway as control plane: Single WebSocket (port 18789) manages all state - centralizes coordination but creates single point of failure